Good Words for Animals

Pope Francis I, invoking the teachings of his namesake St. Francis of Assisi, delivered an historic Encyclical Letter subtitled “On Care for Our Common Home.” The letter calls for human beings “to respect creation and its inherent laws,” some of which cover the relationship between human beings and animals.

“In our time, the Church does not simply state that other creatures are completely subordinated to the good of human beings, as if they have no worth in themselves and can be treated as we wish,” wrote the Pope, adding that “being” itself must be given priority over “being useful.”

Although not associated with any religion, Equamore Foundation has long made this “priority of being” a reality in the lives of the abandoned horses who now roam the pastures of our Ashland Sanctuary.

Equamore’s mission is also reflected in articles 91 and 92 of the encyclical that link the achievement of “human fulfillment” with the way we interact with the planet and all its creatures.

“It follows that our indifference or cruelty towards fellow creatures of this world sooner or later affects the treatment we mete out to other human beings. We have only one heart, and the same wretchedness which leads us to mistreat an animal will not be long in showing itself in our relationships with other people.”

The Pope’s message, which includes 246 articles that speak powerfully for “a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet,” an answer to the question we ask and answer each and every day, “Why Sanctuary?”